Means and method for assembling the individual springs of spring units



Sept. 12, 1939. TAYLOR MEANS AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING THE INDIVIDUALSPRINGS OF SPRING UNITS Filed Jan. 23, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l l Hz 5% 1G. E. TAYLOR 2,

0F SPRING UNITS Sept. 12, 1939.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING THE INDIVIDUAL SPRINGS Filed Jan. 23.1939 3 sheets-sheet fiz Z/7z207" fieo ye 25 Y'faylor 13565 M%e.4-M

Sept. 12, 1939.

G. E. TAYLOR MEANS AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING THE INDIVIDUAL SPRINGS 0FSPRING UNITS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 23, 1939 kq mw M M66 5 gwovaPatented Sept. 12,1939

UNITED STATES DEANS AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING THE INDIVIDUAL UNITS mmcsor srama George E. Taylor, Chicago, 111,, assignmto Samuel E. Sosna andGeorge E. Tnyloi'yas trustees Application January 23,

16 Claims.

This invention relates to a means and method for assembling and securingtogether the individual springs of spring units such as are chiployed ininnerspring mattresses, cushions for chairs and settees, and in likearticles. 4

The individual springs in spring units of the above described type arearranged in the units in transversely and longitudinally extending rowsand portions of the peripheries of the springs in either thetransversely or the longitudinally extending rows overlap, and in someinstances there is'such overlapping in both directions. Heretofore theoverlapped portions of the springs have been secured together bymeans-of a helical retainer which was threaded along between adjacentrows and passed about the overlapping portions ,of the springs in suchadjacent rows, such retainers usually being of a length sufllcient toextend from end to end or side to side of the spring unit, as the casemight be, and the ends of such retainers sometimes have been fastened tosimilar retainers extended along the edges of the units.

The helical retainers arecut to length prior to being installed in thespring units and are rotated into retaining position so as to thereby bethreaded about the various springs to be secured thereby. Heretoforepower driven means have been provided for imparting rotative movement tothe helical retainers but such power driven means have been manuallycontrolled. Considerable skill is entailed in operating such powerdriven means in an amount to cause the helical retainer to be advancedto the point where the leading end thereof can be conveniently passedabout the overlapping portions of springs to be retained thereby.

It is important that the springs in the longitudinally and transverselyextending rows be retained 40 in alignment for otherwise the unit doesnot function satisfactorily in the use to which it is put. In order toaccomplish such alignment the various springs have been arranged on pinsor pegs that in turn have been arranged in longitudinally andtransversey extending rows and the spacing of the pegs has been thatdesired for the spring units. With the springs so positioned all that isrequired is to secure the springs by means of the retainers withoutaltering the position thereof on the pins or pegs.-

However, the operators of the power driven re-. tainer advancing meanswould sometimes so operate such means that the leading end of thehelical retainer would not be advanced far enough as to be in p pe vpsifl on t e P s d the (Cl. RIF-3) I overlapping portions of the springsto berets iced 1939, Serial No. 252,488

thereby, and in other instances the power driven means would be sooperated that theleading end thereof would be advanced beyond the pointwhereat it was to be passed about the overlapi5 ping portions of springsin adjacent rows. In

those instances where leading end of the hell cal retainer was notadvanced far enough to be in position to be passed about the overlappingportions of the adjacent springs, or where such leading end was'advancedbeyond such overlapping portions, the operators have distortedtiiesprings so that the helical retainercouldbe passed thereabout with theresult that the springs were displaced and when a unit was completedcertain of the springs would be in acooked or otherwise improperposition. This detracts from the commercial .value of the finishedfunitand ren= ders it otherwise unsatisfactory.

Moreover, the leading ends of the above, referred to helical retainersare rather sharply pointed and where manually controlled power drivenmeans were employed to advance such retainers and the retainerswerestopped in indiscriminate positions, the sharply pointed end of theretainer was often in such a position that it was necessary for theoperator, to grab the pointed end in order to properly pass it aroundthe overlapping portions of springs to be retained thereby, or, in someinstances, because of improper location of the leading end of the springretainer, the operator would inadvertently grab the pointed end. Thisoften resulted inmore or f less serious injuries to the operators of themanually controlled power driven helical retainer' advancing means suchas have been employed heretofore. 7

It will be apparent from the foregoing that considerable skill anddexterity was required to properly operate the manually controlled powerdriven means heretofore employed for the purpose of advancing helicalretainers such as are employed to interconnect the adjacent springs inspring units of the above described type, and such skill and dexteritycould only be acquired "by a prolonged apprenticeship which was not centsprings in spring units in an amount de' termined by the spacing of theoverlapping por- 56 tions of one set of adjacent springs from theoverlapping portions of an adjacent set of ad- Jacent springs.

An object "ancillary to the foregoing is'to accurately interruptadvancing movement of a helical retainer after a predetermined amount ofadvancing thereof.

It will be understood that different sizes of springs are employed indifferent spring units andthat evenwhere correspondingly sized springsare employed the spacing between the various Other and further objectsare to'rotate a helical spring retainer a predetermined number of turnsto thereby insure a predetermined degree of advancing movement thereof;to'automatically interrupt operation of power operated means foradvancing a spring retainer and thereby insure uniform operation of thepower operated means in various operations thereof; to

I accurately. and positively interrupt operation of power operated meansfor advancing a helical spring retainer; and to maintain such poweroperated means in operation for a predetermined period each time it isset in operation.

Still further objects are to so support a power operated means foradvancing a helical spring retainer that the power operated means itselfwill be advanced in e course of advancing of the helical springretainer; to effectively dimipate momentum accruing in the course ofoperation of a power operated helical retainer advancing means; to bringsuch means to rat in an identical position at the end of variousoperations thereof;,and to provide a novel helical springretainer'advancing means of simple and economical construction andei'iicient and posithe operation.

Other and further objects wilLbe apparent from the following descriptionwherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings in whichline "-10on Fig. 8 and drawn to an Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my novel springretainer advancing means and in ,which a portion of the track alongwhich such means travel in the course of operation thereof is brokenaway; i

Figs. .2 and 3 are sectional detail views taken respectively andsubstantially on the lines 2-1 and 3-8 on 1; Pig. 4 is a side elevationof the apparatus illustrated in Pig. 1;

Figs. '5 and 6 are sectional detail views taken respectively andsubstantially on the lines 8-! and H on Fig. i;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of a connector employed in theapparatus;

Fig. 8 is atop plan view showing the manner in which my novel springretainer advancing meansisputtouse;

Hg. 9 is a sectional detail view-taken substantially on the line H onFig. i;

Fig. 10 is a view taken substantially on the enlarged scale;

Figll is a top plan view drawn to an enlarged scale and illustrating theposition in which the l dins nd 12 i l sp l s retainer comes .to rest atthe end of each advancing movement imparted thereto by my novelapparatus; and

Fig. 12 is a wiring diagram.

The preferred form of my novel spring retainer advancing means shown inthe ;accompanying drawings includes a bed plate ll having brackets l6and I I fast thereto at opposite ends thereof and extending upwardlytherefrom. A substantially U-shaped bracket I8 is securedto the upperend of the bracket i6 and-a grooved roller i8 is rotatably mountedbetween the limbs of the bracket ll adjacent the free upper ends of suchlimbs. Another substantially U-shapedbracket II and a grooved roller 2|is rotatably mounted between the limbs of the bracket 20 adiacent thefree upper ends of such limbs. An elongated substantially T-shaped trackII is provided which is suitably supported in, a manner not shown fromthe ceiling or other support with the free end of the stem portionthereof extended upwardly, and the bed plate I I is bracket It issecured to the upper end of the a supported from the track 2: throughthe brackets I, II. II and 20 by having the track pass between the limbsof the brackets II and 2. so that the grooved rollers II and 2| may havethe stem portion of the T-shaped section of the track extendedthereinto. Thus the sides of the grooves in thefrollers I! and iiembrace the sides of the stem of the T-shaped track 22 and tend toprevent sidewise swaying of the bed plate II which is neverthelesssupported for free movement along the track 22.

A block 23 is mounted on the top side of the bed plate ll adjacent tothe bracket l6 and a motor I. is fast to the upper side of this block.

.A worm gear", Fig. 3. is mounted on one end of the shaft of themotor 24and meshes with a worm wheel I, Fig. 4, that is fast to the shaftI'lwhich is iournaled in bearings provided in the gear box 2|, Fig. 1,carried by the frame of the motor 24 and the bearing 20 supported fromthe bed plate I I by the bracket 30. A connector II is mounted on thefree end of the shaft 21 that is'positioned adjacent the bracket II,this, connector being tubular in configuration and having a helicalgroove 32, Figs. 1 and '1, on the interior thereof leading from the freeend thereof and one end of a helical spring retainer'R is. adapted to bethreaded into the helical groove 3!.

With one end a retainer R. secured in the con-" I nector Ii it ismanifest that if the motor 24 is set in operation, the retainer R. willbe rotated, and

. the direction of rotation 'of the motor 24 and the geared connectionbetween this motor and the shaft 11 is such that the shaft 21 will berotated in such a direction that the retainer R will be rotated in thedirection of the lead of the helix thereof. Thus, as best shown in Fig.12, a'terminal I! in the switch 8 is connected to a line wire 84 leadingfrom a source of current by a conductor II. The other terminal SI of theswitch 8 is connected by conductors I1 and 38 to one terminal of themotor 24, the other terminal of the motor 24 beingconnected to the linewire I. that also leads to a source of current.- Thus, when the bridgingcontact ll of the switch S closes circuit between the terminals 33 and30, the motor II is set in operation and thereupon an advancing movementis imparted to the retainer R.

It has beenexplained heretofore that it is essential that a springretainer such as the retainer R be advanced only in a predeterminedamount in order that the various springs to be is 44a and 44b. Now thedistance between the oversecured together to afford a spring unit willbe properly secured togetherand to further eirplain this reference ismade to Fig. 8 wherein it will be seen that two strips 4! and 43 areprovided which have a plurality of pegs or pins 43 provided thereon atregularly spaced intervals that are adapted to receive springs 44 whichare to be secured together to afford a spring unit such as that whichcan be used in an innerspring mattress, or in the cushion or back ofupholstered furniture or in other kindred articles of furniture or thelike.

When a plurality of springs as 44 are to be connected together toprovide a spring unit, the size of the spring is first determined andthen spacing between the various rows of such springs is determined andthe pins 43 are then secured in the strips as 4| and 42 to give thedesired spacing in one direction of the unit. I The spacing between thesprings in the other direction of the unit is determined by the diameterof the springs themselves, and the strips as and 42 v in which the pinsas 43 are secured are secured to a table top T or the like such adistance apart that when springs as 44 are mounted on the'pins 43 thesprings on correspondingly positioned pins 43 on the strips 4| and 42will slightly overlap as, for example, in the manner illustrated in Fig.8.

When a plurality of springs are to be assembled into a unit, firstsprings as 44 are mounted on the pins 43 on the strip 4i and then thetable T or the track 22, or both, are adjusted relative to each other sothat when a spring retainer R is advanced by rotation of the shaft 21 inthe manner above described it will thread over the. peripheries of theupper coils of the springs on the pins 43 on the strip 4| that extendtoward the strip 42 and the result of this operation is the securingtogether along one edge of such springs 44 by a spring retainer as Ra.

Thereafter the springs which have been mounted on the pins 43 on thestrip 4i which are now interconnected by the spring retainer Ra aremoved over onto the pins 43 on the strip 42 and other springs aremounted on the pins 43 on the strip 4i. These last named springs wheninstalled on the pins 43 on the strip 4| will overlap portions of thesprings 44 that are now mounted on the pins 43 on the strip 42. Afterthesprings have been so. arranged, the shaft 21 is again set inoperation and the spring retainer Rb is run into position. Forconvenience the springs mounted on the first of the pins 43 on thestrips 4i and 42 will be referred to as being in row A while the springson the next inwardly of the pins will be referred to as being in the rowB and the springs on the next inwardly of the pins 43 will be referredto as being in the row C.

' tion to be passed about the overlapping portions of the springs 44aand 44b. Of course when the spring retainer Rc is first advanced it willbe necessary to stop it accurately with respect to the overlappingportions of the springs 44c and 44d. In the next operation it will benecessary to stop the leading end of the spring retainer with respect tothe overlapping portions of the springs lapping portions ofthespr'ings44c and 44d in' the row Aand the overlapping portions .of the springs44a and 44b in the row Bis the same as the distance between theoverlapping .portions of the.

springs 44a and 44b in the row B and the overlapping portions of thesprings Me and 44! in the row C. Thus when the retainer R is advancedfrom the overlapping portions of the springs in the row A to theoverlapping portions of the springs in the row B and thereafter advancedfrom the overlapping portions of the springs in the row B to theoverlapping portions of the springs in the row C, identical advancingmove-- ment should be imparted in both instances. It will be manifest,however, that if the switch S is held closed for too long a time or tooshort a time uniform advancing movement will not be imparted to aretainer as R. It will either be necessary in such an instance toattempt to slightly advance the retainer R if it has not been advancedfar enough or else it will be necessary to manually thread the retainerRR rearwardly in order to back it up and one or the other of these twooperations should be performed. However, it has been found that often insuch instances an operator will deflect the springs'so as to bringoverlapping portions thereof into position to be engaged by the leadingend of the retainerR, and wherever the retainer R engages springs sofiexed it secures the-springs so as a result the flexed springs aresecured in an iniproper position in so far as the unit as a whole isconcerned.

Moreover, if the operator does not stop the;

retainer R substantially in the position shown in Fig. 11 it willfrequently be necessary for the operator to grasp the free end of theretainer with the result, as explained above, that often the operatorshands are out. However, if the retainer R is always stoppedsubstantially in the position shown in Fig. 11, it may be graspedinwardly from the end and passed about the overlapping portions ofadjacent springs, and when the retainer is grasped inwardly from the endthe likelihood of the operators hands being cut is substantially reducedif not entirely eliminated.

Thus, in accordance with my invention I arrange the power operatedspring retainer advancing means in such a way that once it is set inoperation it will advance a spring retainer as R in a predeterminedamount, and then when it has advanced the spring reta ner in th spredetermined amount will interrupt movement in a predetermined pos tionso that the leading end of the retainer will be in a positionsubstantially like that shown in Fig. 11 which will enable the Operatorto expeditiously pass the leading end of the retainer about theoverlapping port ons of the adiacent springs to thereafter set thedevice in operation 50 that the retainer will then be threaded about theoverlapped portions of adjacent springs and pass on to the nextoverlapping portions of adjacent springs.

In order to insure that the foregoing will be accomplished I prov de aworm gear 45 on the shaft 21 that meshes with a worm wheel 46 fast onthe shaft 41 journaled in plates 48 and 49. Fig. 3, fast to the top ofthe bed plate ii. In

view of the geared connection between the shafts 21 and 41 it ismanifest that the shaft 41 will be set in rotation each time the shaft21 is set in rotation. Thus, means are-provided on the shaft 41 formaintaining the circuit to the motor 24 closed .once thiscircuit hasbeen closed and the -top of the plate i4 seats in the notch 42.

engages the contact point 44 on the contact strip 41 and circuit isclosed from the line wire 44' through conductor 44, contact strip 41,contact point ,44, contact point 44, spring contact 44 and conductor 44to conductor 44 and thence through the motor 24 and conductor 44 to thesource of current. Preferably the ratio between the worm gear 44 and theworm wheel 44 is such that the shaft 21 will make a predetermined numberof I revolutions to a single revolution of the shaft 41 and in thepresent instance the ratio is preferably such that the shaft 21 makestwelve revolut ons to one of the shaft 41. Thus, once the shaft 41 isset in operation and the rider 44 is out of alignment with the, notch42, the shaft 41 will continue in rotation until the rider 44 againseats in the notch 42 but when this occurs the contact point 44 willseparate from the contact point 44 and therefore circuit to the motor 24will be interrupted and power will no longer be supplied to'the shafts21 and 41 from the motor.

However, it is desirable that the shaft 21 be operated at areiatlvelyhigh rate of speed so that the retainer R will be rapidlyadvanced from the overlapping portions of adjacent spr ngs in one row asA into assoc ation with the overlapping portions of adjacent springs inanother row as B. In view of such rapid operation. anpreciable momentumwill accrue in the various rotating parts and it is therefore desirablethat at the time circuit is broken to the motor 24 to brake the rotatingparts and .thereby dis sipate the momentum thereof so that the par swill come to rest in an accurate position. To this end a'wheel or drum44 is fast on the shaft 41 and arcuate brake bands 4! and 42 aredisposed about the periphery of this drum. The brake bands 4| and 42have liners 43 and 4 'of suitable and includes a foot portion 1| onwhich an ear 12 friction material provided on the faces thereof disposedtoward theperlphery of the. wheel 44. -.lhe block it is recessed asindicated at as, Fig.

2, to receive the ears 44 and 41 respectively prov'lded at adjacent endsof the brake bands 4i and 42, a suitable bolt 44 being passed throughopenings in these ears with a spring 44 disposed thereabout and betweenthe ears 44 and 41, said spring serving to urge the ears away from eachother to thereby urge the liners 44 and 44 away from the periphery ofthe drum 44. 1A bracket 14 is fast to the, upper side of the bed platel4 at' the end of the brake band 41 opposite the car 44 rests. An ear 14is provided on the corresponding end of the brake band 42 and a bolt 14is freely passed through openings in the ears 12 and 14 and is threadedinto the foot port on 1!. A'spring "is disposed about the bolt 14between the ears 12 and "and serves to urge the ears apart and thereforethe liners 44 and 44 away from the periphery of the drum 44.

A bracket 14, Figs. 4 and 4, is fast in the upper surface of the bedplate l4 and a rocker 11 is pivotally mounted thereon .as indicated at14.

Aknotch 14 is provided adjacent one end of the rocker 11 and receivesthe head of the bolt 14.- An adjusting screw 44 is mounted near theother end of the rocker 11 and bears on one end of a lever 4i, Figs.4and 6, fulcrumed at 42 on a bracket 44 carried by the bed plate l4. Acam 44 is fast on the shaft 41 and has a lobe 44 thereon. The cam 44 andthe disc cam 4i are so fast on the shaft 41 that the notch 42 in thedisc cam 4i is aligned with the lobe' 44 on the cam 44. Hence when therider 54 passes into the notch 42 the lobe 44 rides into engagement withthe lever 4i and pivots this lever upwardly and the upward movement ofthe lever 4i is transmitted through the adjusting screw 44 to the rocker11 whereupon the end of the rocker adjacent which the notch 19 isprovided is forced downwardly and inasmuch as this end of the rockerbears on the ear 14 this ear is forced downwardly with the effect-offorcing the liners 44 and 44 onto the periphery of the drum 44 whichbrakes the shaft 41 and other rotating parts. As best shown in Fig. 6,the lobe 44 is provided with a sharp drop so that very soon aftermovement is imparted to the shaft 41 at the start of an operation, thelever 4i pivots from its upper and operative position shown in fulllines in Fig. 6 into its lower or inoperative position shown in brokenlines in Fig. 6 and this enables the springs 44 and 14 to disengage theliners 44 and 44 from the periphery of the drum" 44.

While the brake afforded by the drum 44 and the parts that cooperatetherewith will tend to bring the parts to rest promptly, such meansmay'not always stop the shaft 41 and other parts in identical positionsat the ends of different operations of the device and hence, in order toassure that the parts will come torest in identical positions at suchtimes, a disc 44, Fig. 4, is

fast on the shaft 41 which has a tapered notch 41 in theperipherythereof. A bracket 44 is carried by the bed plate l4 and supports acylinder 49 at the lower end of which a pin 94 is mounted, said pinhaving a pointed end adapted to seat in the notch 41. As best shown inFig. 3, a spring 41 in the cylinder 44 acts on the pin 44 to force ittoward the periphery of the disc 44,-

an adjusting screw 42 being threaded into a' tapped portion at the upperend of the cylinder 44 to enable adjustment of the tension of the spring4|. The notch 41 in the disc 44 is aligned with the notch 42 on the camdisc 4i and the lobe 44 on the cam 44 .so that at the time circuit isbroken to the motor 24 and the liners 44 and 44 are applied to theperiphery of the drum 44, the pointed pin 44 seats in the notch 41 andarrests further movement of the shaft 41 and the parts connectedthereto. By reason of the taper of the notch 41 in the end of the pin44, the

shaft 41 is always brought to rest in an identical position since thesetwo tapers cooperate with each other to insure such positioning of theshaft and therefore the parts connected therewith. r

The ratio between the worm gear 44 and the worm wheel 44 is such thatthe shaft 21 will make a predetermined number of revolutions each timethe switch S is closed and in view of this a retainer as R will beadvanced a certain number of turns and therefore a predetermined amountineach such operation. Each operation switch 8 and as soonas the partsare in motion the switch 8 is opened and thereafter the circuitestablished at the contact points 44 and 44 maintains the motor inoperation until circuit is the notch 52. At this time, as explainedabove,

the brake is applied to dissipate the momentum that has accrued in therotating parts and accompanying this the pin 9. seats in the notch 81and brings the parts to rest in a predetermined position. Thispredetermined position.

and the connection of. the retainer R to the connector Si is such thatthe leading end of the retainer R comes to rest in a positionsubstantially like that shown in Fig. 11 in which position the free endof the retainer may be conveniently hooked about the overlappingportions of adjacent springs and as soon as this is done a new advancingmovement maybe imparted to the retainer.

Thus referring to Fig." 8, if the retainer Rc had originally beenpositioned adjacent the overlapping portions of the springs c and d andthe switch S, Fig. 12, had been closed, the leading end of the retainerRc would have been advanced into the position shown in Figs. 8 and 11.The operator would thereupon grab the retainer Rc rearwardly oftheleading end thereof and pass the free end about the overlapping portionsof the springs 44a and 44b and then the switch S would again be closed.In this operation the retainer Rc will advance in the manner indicatedby broken lines in Fig. 8, into a position ready to have the leading endthereof passed about the overlapping portions of the springs e and f.This is accomplished in this in-- stance by causing the shaft 21 to maketwelve revolutions to one revolution of the shaft 41 which causes twelveturns of the retainer R0.

If the spacing between the rows A and B and B and C was different fromthat shown and the pitch of the helix of the retainer R remained thesame, then in order to insure proper advancplace the worm gear 45 andthe worm wheel 46 with other gears of different ratio, then the pitch ofthe helix of the retainer R may be varied so as to cause the retainer toadvance in the amount required by the spacing between the rows A and Band B and C and so on. In such an instance, in order that the end of theretainer could be properly fitted into the connector 3|, a connectorhaving a helical thread corresponding to the pitch of the helix of theretainer being used would be substituted for the illustrated connector3|.

' It will of course be understood that when the end of .a retainer as Reis positioned adjacent the overlapping portions of springs as c and dand that thereafter this retainer is advanced into a position adjacentthe ovelapping portions of the springs a and b, the threading movementof the retainer past the overlapping portions of the springs c anddcauses the bed plate i5 and the parts carried thereby to advance alongthe track 22 so that at the time the leading end of the retainer hasbeen passed about the last set of overlapping springs on the strips 4|and 42 the connector 3| will be in such a position that the end of theretainer may be removed therefrom and clamped onto the overlappingportions of the adjacent springs to thereby prevent unwinding of theretainer and consequent detachment thereof from the springs and ofcourse the leading end of the retainer is similarly connected to thesprings that are adjacent 'tothis end.

My improved method of assembling and securing together the varioussprings that are to be joined-to constitute a spring unit resides in.iuniformly advancing the retainer for'the springs in a uniform amounteach time the advancing means is set in operation. This insures that thesprings will be properly retained in position and tnereby enables even arelatively unskilled operator to produce a fully satisfactory product.Moreover, by reason of the-fact of the uniform advancing of the retainerin the various oper- ,ationsof the means effecting advancement there- Itwill be apparent from the foregoing descrip= retainer in an ascertainedamount in various operations and this is brought about by reason ofuniform periods of operation of the apparatus, dissipation of momentumaccruing in the apparatus during operation thereof, and the positivestopping of the apparatus in uniform positions at the end of eachoperation thereof. Furthermore, it will be understood that the device isreadily susceptible of providing different ascertained but uniformadvancing to a retainer either by varying the pitch of the helicalretainer or varying the ratio of operation of controlling and controlledparts of the apparatus.

Thus, while I have illustrated a preferred mechanism for carrying out myinvention, it is to be understood that resort might be had to othermeans and hence while I have illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of my invention it is to be understood that this is capableof variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limitedto the precise details therein set forth but desire toavail myself ofsuch changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the followingclaims.

I claim: 1

1. In an apparatus for advancing a spring retainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality of uniformly spaced apart and aligned sets ofsprings, means for imparting a rotating advancing movement to theretainer, means for setting the means for imparting the rotatingadvancing movement in operation, and means for automaticallyinterrupting rotation and advance of the retainer when said retainer hasbeen rotated a predeteremined number of times and thereby advanced in anamount equai'to the spacing between adjacent sets of springs.

2. In an apparatus for advancing a spring retainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality of uniformly spaced apart and aligned sets ofsprings, means for imparting a rotating advancing movement to theretainer, means for setting the means for imparting the rotatingadvancing movement in operation, and means" for maintaining the meansfor imparting .the rotating advancing movement to the retainer'inoperation once said means has been set in operation and until theretainer has been rotated a" predetermined number-of times and forinterrupting operation of said means when the retainer has to therebyhave been advanced in an amount equal to the spacing between adjacentsets of springs.

i retainer has been advanced in an amount equal to the spacing betweenadjacent sets of springs,

and means for automatically braking said-advancing means when saidretainer has been advanced in said amount. Y

4. In an apparatus for advancing a spring reof uniformly spaced apartand aligned sets of springs, means for imparting the advancing movementto the retainer, means for automatically interrupting operation of themeans for imparting the advancing movement when the retainer has beenadvanced in an amount equal to the spacing between adjacent sets ofsprings, means for braking said advancing means, and means forautomatically effecting operation of said braking means substantiallysimultaneously with the interruption of operation of the advancingmeans.

5. In an apparatus for advancing a spring retainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality of uniformly spaced apart and aligned sets ofsprings, means for imparting the advancing movement to the retainer,means for setting the means for imparting the advancing movement inoperation, means for automatically-interrupting the operation of saidmeans for imparting the advancing movement when the retainer has beenadvanced in an amount equal to the spacing between adjacent sets ofsprings, means'for braking said advancing means, and means forautoadvanced in an amount equal to the spacing between adjacent sets ofsprings, and means operative to bring said advancing means to rest in anidentical position each time operation thereof is interrupted.

'7. In an apparatus for advancing a spring retainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality of uniformly spaced apart and aligned setsofsprings, means for imparting the advancing movement to the retainer.means for automatically interrupting operation of the means forimparting the advancing movement when the retainer has been advanced inan amount equal to the spacing between adjacent sets of spr1ngs,

means for braking said advancing means when said retainer has beenadvanced in 'said amount, and means operative to bring said advancingmeans to rest"in an identical position each time operation thereof isinterrupted.

8. In an apparatus for advancing a spring retainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality anasa'sbeenrotated said predetermined number oftimes of uniformly spaced apart and aligned sets ofsprings; means .forimparting the advancinl movement to the retainer, means for automatically interrupting operation of the means for imparting the advancingmovement when the retainer has been advanced in an amount equal .to thespacing between adjacent sets of springs,

means for braking said advancing means, means for efi'ecting operationof said braking means I substantiallysimultaneously with theinterruption of operation of the advancing means, and

means operative to bring said advancing means to rest in an identicalposition each time operation thereof is interrupted.

9. In an apparatus for advancing-a spring re-, tainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality of spaced apart and aligned sets of springs, arotatable shaft, a connector on said shaft to which one end of a springretainer may be secured, a motor for driving said shaft, a cam shaft,

means for rotating the cam shaft from the rotatable shaft inpredetermined relation with the rotatable shaft, means for closingcircuit to said motor, and means including a device on said cam.

shaft and operable to maintain the circuit to said motor closed once themeans for closing circuit to said motor has been operated and operableto open circuit to said motor aftersaid rotatable shaft has made apredetermined number of revolutions.

10. In an apparatus foradvancing a spring retainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality of spaced apart and aligned sets of springs, arotatable shaft, a connector on said shaft to which one end of a springretainer may be secured, a motor for driving said shaft, a cam shaft,means for rotating the cam shaft from the rotatable shaft inpredeterminedrelation with the rotatable shaft, means including a memberon said cam shaft for maintaining said motor in operation once saidmotor has been set in opera tion and operable to open circuit to saidmotor after said rotatable shaft has made a predetermined number ofrevolutions, brake means for decelerating the rotatable shaft and thecam shaft, and means including a part on said cam rotatable shaft, aconnector on said shaft to which one end of a spring retainer may besecured, a motor for driving said shaft, a cam shaft,

means for rotating the camshaft from the retatable shaft inpredetermined relation with the rotatable shaft, means including amember on said cam shaft for maintaining said motor in operation oncesaid motor has been set inoperation and operable to open circuit to saidmotor after said rotatableishaft has made a predetermined number ofrevolutions, and means including a part on said cam shaft andoperable tostop said cam shaft and said rotatable shaft in'an identical positioneach time the circuit to said motor is opened.

12. In an apparatus for advancing a spring retainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality of spaced apart and aligned sets of springs, arotatable shaft, a connector on said shaft to which one end of a springretainer may be secam shaft and operable to render said brake meanseffective substantially simultaneously with the opening of the circuitto said motor, and means including a part-on said cam shaft and operableto stop said cam shaft and said rotatable shaft in an identical pomtioneach time the circuit to said motor is opened.

13. In an apparatus for advancing a spring retainer-past the adjacentportions of a plurality ,of spaced apart and aligned sets of springs, a

rotatable shaft, a connector on said shaft to which one end of a springretainer may be secured, a motor for driving said shaft, a cam shaft,means for rotating the cam shaft from the rotatable shaft inpredetermined relation with the rotatable shaft, means for closingcircuit to said moto means including a device on said cam shaft andoperable to maintain the circuit to'said motor closed once the means forclosins circuit to said motor has been operated and operable to opencircuit to said motor after said rotatable shaft has made apredetermined number of revolutions, and means for supporting theapparatus for movement relative to said sets of shrines.

14. In an apparatus for advancing a spring retainer past the adjacentportions of a plurality of spaced apart and aligned sets of springs, arotatable shaft, a connector on said shaft to which one end of a springretainer may be secured, a motor for driving said shaft, a cam shaft,means for rotating the cam shaft from the rotatable shaft inpredetermined relation with the rotatable shaft, means including amember on said cam shaft for maintaining said motor in opeartion oncesaid motor has been set in operation and operableto open circuit to saidmotor after said rotatable shaft has made a predetermined number ofrevolutions, brake means for decelerating the rotatable shaft and thecam shaft, means including a part on said cam shaft and operable torender said brake means eflective substantially'simultaneously with theopening of the circuit to said motor, means including a part on said camshaft and operable to stop said cam shaft and said rotatable shaft in anidentical position each time the circuit to said motor is opened, andmeans for supporting the apparatus for movement relative to said sets ofsprings.

15. The method of forming a spring unit or assembly of the characterwhich includes longitudinal and transverse rows of spring coils and inwhich th spring coils in said transverse rows are mechanicallyinterconnected togetherin opposing pairs by means of helical retainingelements, which method comprises arranging said spring coils inlongitudinal and transverse rows upon a supporting surface and holdingthem temporarily against movement thereon, mechanically andautomatically intermittently rotating a helical retaining elementaxially a predetermined number of revolutions to effect advance thereofin uniform sequential steps in a direction, parallel to and between saidlongitudinal rows, and connecting the leading end of said element aroundone convolution in each of the coils in the two longitudinal rowsbetween which it is advanced to thereby cause the element to wind aroundsaid convolutions and thereby tie opposing coils in said transverse rowstogether in pairs.

1s. .The method defined in claim 15 in which both the advancing or axialmovement and the rotative movement of said helical retaining element aremechanically and automatically stopped after said helical retainingelement has been rotated a predetermined number of times and therebyadvanced axially during each sequential step or movement thereof, andwith the leading end portion of said helical retaining element extendingdownwardly to thereby facilitate connection of the element about theconvolutions to which it is tobe connected.

GEORGE E. TAYLOR.

